Coupler for toy railway trains



p 25, 9 W..E. REXFORD ET AL 2,569,071

COUPLER FOR TOY RAILWAY TRAINS Filed Sept. 19, 1950 DU AM 3 M F1310. 6 o h 126E752? $3.1m. 2

Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNE'EED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,569,071 COUPLER FOR 'roY RAILWAY TRAINS Willis E. Rexford, Girard, and Duane Weidler,

Platea, Pa., assignors to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 19, 1950, Serial No. 185,536

is a sheet metal coupler extending horizontally and having its end bent downward to form the male element of the coupler, and having cut through the horizontal part near the male element a slot dimensioned to receive the male element of a like coupler. To couple these inexpensive cars it is necessary to manually lift one of the couplers until its male element can be dropped downward through the slotof the other coupler, thus anchoring the two cars together.

Somewhat more elaborate toys have been made with automatic couplers. Such couplers include a coupling hook having a movable part which may be moved between an open position and a closed position, the arrangement beingfl such that when two cars are run together the engagement of the couplers itself causes closing of the hooks, and automatic latching thereof in closed position. Such couplers are automatically engaged, but must be disengaged by external means, such as a lever mounted on or near the coupler and carried by the car. i

A still more elaborate coupling system is arranged for remote control. Such a coupling system employs automatic couplers which are engaged by running two cars together, as described, but which may be unlocked by electrical means operated under remote control. A common and 7 popular arrangement for the purpose employs a solenoid mounted on or near the coupler bar and energized under remote control through a special track section and pick-up shoe. The solenoid When energized retracts a detent and so frees the hook to move to open position. For purposes ,of the present description the first form of cou together cars having non-automatic couplers and cars having automatic couplers. Achild having a train system with non-automatic couplers would have to continue with that system, and

would not be able to employ either a locomotive or cars having an automatic coupler. Conversely, a childhaving a system with automatic couplers would not be able to introduce into his system any of the cars provided with non-automatic couplers. The primary object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty, and to make it possible to interchangeably employ and couple together rolling stock having auto-- matic and non-automatic couplers. A still further object of the invention is to retain much of the benefit of the automatic coupler, and in the case of remote control equipment, to retain much of the benefit of the remote control.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the couplers and coupling adapter elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing. rolling stock with automatic and non-automatic couplers coupled together; I v

Fig. 2' is a plan view of the non-automatic coupler;

Fig- 3 is a plan view of an adapter forming an important part of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the adapter applied to the coupler;

Fig. 5" is a plan view of a friction nut or retainer forming a part of the adapter;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view showing how the adapter is applied to a sheet metal non-automatic coupler;

Fig. '7 is a :bottom plan view of the coupler with the adapter mounted thereon;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing how automatic engagement may be obtained between an automatic coupler and a non-automatic coupler having the adapter; I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing the relation of the parts after engagement of the couplers;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing non-autoimatic engagement of non-automatic couplers .having adapters;

Fig. 11 shows the relation between sheet metal non-automatic couplers whenengaged; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing the inter-engagement ofnon-automatic coupiers with adapters.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1,- the tank car I2 is of a relatively coupler hook of the automatic coupler.

expensive type mounted on four wheel trucks l4 each having an automatic coupler I6. Fig. 8 shows one of the trucks with the chassis of the tank car removed. The coupler I6 includes a movable hook portion l3 pivoted at and having a connected part 22. This part 22 is so exposed when the hook I8 is in the open position shown that when two couplers are run together the parts 22 are forced inward and turn the hooks 18 to cause engagement of the couplers. The engagement is locked by means of a detent which is not shown but which takes eifect when the hook I8 is moved from the open position shown in Fig. 8 to the closed position shown in Fig. 9.

The particular coupler here shown is not only automatic, but also remotely controlled. The remote control is obtained by means of a solenoid 24 which when energized draws into itself a ferrous plunger, the outer end of which constitutes the detent for holding the coupler locked. The truck [4 is provided with a contact shoe adapted to engage a fourth rail located between the usual wheel bearing rail and the central third rail, so that when energy is supplied to the fourth rail under remote control the soleerally horizontal coupler bar 36 with its end- 'most portion 38 bent downwardly to form a tenon-like male element. The coupler bar is provided with a transverse slot 40 through the horizontal coupler part near the tenon 38. The

slot 40 is dimensioned to receive the male element of another like coupler.

The manner in which two such sheet metal couplers are engaged is illustrated in Fig. 11 where it will be seen that the coupler 34 has its tenon 42 dropped through the transverse slot of the coupler 44. Such engagement must, of course, be performed manually. In some cases 'the coupler may itself be lifted far enough to permit the desired engagement, and in other cases it may be necessary to lift one end of one of the cars relative to the other when interlocking the couplers.

It will be seen from examination of the nonautomatic sheet metal coupler shown in Figs.

'2, 6 and 11 that it would not be possible to couple such a coupler to the automatic coupler shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9. In accordance with the present invention, however, we provide an adapter which makes such coupling readily possible.'

Referring to Figs. 3 through 6 of the drawing, the adapter 50 has a part 52 forming a coupler hook dimensioned to mate with the It also has another part 54 dimensioned to mate with and be received by the non-automatic coupler.

'or different non-automatic coupler which is so shaped and dimensioned, and located at such height, as to be useable with the automatic coupler.

Considered in greater detail, the adapter comprises a solid block 50 of material shaped to form a coupler hook 52 dimensioned to mate with the coupler hook [8 of the automatic coupler. The adapter further comprises a flat, tenon-like male portion 54 dimensioned to pass downward through the coupler slot 40 of the sheet metal coupler. In preferred form the retainer means 56 is a spring friction nut, best shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7. The nut is made of thin resilient sheet metal, and is slotted to receive the tenon 54. Some of the material of the slot is struck downwardly to form sloping or biased arms indicated at 58. With the construction shown the nut can be slid upwardly on the tenon 54, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, but then resists attempted downward movement, and so holds the block 50 rigidly on the sheet metal coupler.

The adapter block is preferably molded, because in that way its somewhat complex configuration is obtained very inexpensively. It may be die cast, or it may be molded out of a suitable moldable plastic. The nut is preferably stamped out of a thin resilient sheet metal, such as phosphor bronze. Thus the adapter assembly may be made by quantity production methods at very low cost.

Reverting now to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the non-automatic couplers 32 and 34 here shown are at a somewhat lower level than the automatic coupler l6. Thus the addition of the adapter 50 helps bring the non-automatic coupler to the desired height to mate with the automatic coupler. The height is not critical because of the large vertical dimension of the couplers. Moreover, the configuration can be varied to suit each particular problem. For example, in the present case the block 50 is recessed somewhat at 60 where it overlies the coupler 32. If the sheet metal coupler 32 were higher, this recessing could be carried to greater height. The recessing here shown is slight because the coupler 32 is lower than the coupler 16 by substantially the entire height of the coupling block.

From inspection of Figs. 3, 4 and 6 it will be seen that the adapter provides a fixed hook. Nevertheless substantially all of the benefit of automatic and remote control coupling is retained, and this may be explained with reference to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing. In Fig. 8 it will be seen that a car having the adapter 50 with its fixed hook may nevertheless be run against an open automatic coupler I6, and by reference to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the fixed hook is well able to close the open hook of the automatic coupler. Thus automatic engagement is obtained by simply running the two cars together, much as though both couplers were automatic couplers.

Conversely, to release or disengage the couplers it is sufilcient to open one of the hooks, specifically the hook t8 of the automatic coupler l6. Thus, if under either local or remote control, the detent of coupler I6 is freed, any separating traction of the cars will cause a separation of the couplers as indicated in Fig. 8.

The extent to which the adapter is employed in a mixed train system will depend, of course, on the degree of interchangeability desired. Specifically, if a child has a number of cars with automatic couplers, and a number of cars with nonautomatic couplers, he may content himself with using a single adapter, this being mounted on one of the non-automatic couplers. In such case the other non-automatic couplers must be kept together. being engaged as shown in Fig. 11. and the attach automatic couplers must he kept together, the transition between the two coupled sets of cars place at the particular non-automatic coupler having the adapter.

If, however, the child wishes to be able to conmet any car to any other car, then a suflicient number of adapters maybe employed, one being added to each of the non-automatic couplers. In such case a non automatic coupler -may be en-- gaged to another non-automatic coupler in the manner shown in Fig. 1 0. engagement is strictly manual and requires lifting of one of the couplers, or the entire car, to a height sufiicient to permit the hook of one adapter to be dropped into engagement with the hook of the other adapter. Fig. shows two such cars in process of engagement, and 1'2 shows how the two fixed hooks interlock when once engaged. Thus the coupling of two non-automatic couplers is still manual, as :before, yet each of the non-automatic couplers is adapted for .automatic engagement with any of the automatic couplers.

By arranging the cars in alternation, every other :car having automatic couplers, and the intermediate cars having non-automatic couplers, the entire train may be handled in much the same manner as though all of the cars were provided with automatic couplers, the train being .separatedat any desired point, and the cars being shuttled and rearranged, all by remote control.

The adapter is readily added, without requiring the-use of tools. It is merely necessary to insert the tenon of the adapter through the slot of the coupler, and to then push the spring retainer upwardly on the tenon as far as the coupler.

It is believed that the construction and method of use-of our improved coupler adapter system for 'toyrailway trains, as well .as the many advantages thereof, will beapparent from the foregoing detailed description. .Itwill also beapparent that while we haveshown and described our invention in a preterred form, changesmay be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined .in the following claims.

We claim:

1. For use in a toy railway, an adapter for adapting a non-automatic sheet metal coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said sheet metal coupler having a slot to receive a. fiat tenonlike male portion of another coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material shaped to form a coupler hook dimensioned to mate with the coupler hook of the automatic coupler, and having a fiat tenon-like male portion dimensioned to pass through the coupler slot of the sheet metal coupler, and a retainer on said tenon to hold the block assembled with said sheet metal coupler.

2. For use in a toy railway, an adapter for adapting a non-automatic sheet metal coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said sheet metal coupler having a slot to receive a fiat tenonlike male portion of another coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material shaped to form a coupler hook dimensioned to mate with the coupler hook of the automatic coupler, and having a flat tenon-like male portion dimensioned to pass through the coupler slot of the sheet metal coupler, and a retainer dimensioned to slip over said tenon and to hold the block assembled with said sheet metal coupler, the tenon of said adapter being disposed vertically and thehook of said adapter lying in a horizontal plane.

3. For use in a toy railway, an adapter for adapting a non-automatic sheet metal coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said sheet metal coupler extending horizontally and having its end bent downward to form the male element of a coupler and having a transverse slot through the horizontal part acting as the female element of the coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material shaped to form a coupler hook dimensioned to mate with the coupler hook of the automatic coupler, and having a fiat tenonl=ike male portion dimensioned to pass through the coupler slot of the sheet metal coupler, and a retainer to hold the block assembled with said sheet metal coupler.

4. For use in a toy railway, an adapter for adapting a non-automatic sheet metal coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said sheet metal coupler extending horizontally and having'its end bent downward to form the male element of a coupler and having a transverse slot through the horizontal part acting as the female element of the coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material shaped to form a coupler hook dimensioned to mate with the coupler hook of the automatic coupler, and having a fiat tenon-likemale portion dimensioned to pass through the coupler slot of the sheet metal coupler, and a spring friction nut dimensioned to slip over said tenon and to hold the block assembled with said sheet metal coupler, the tenon of said adapter being disposed vertically and the hook of said adapter lying in the horizontal plane.

.5. In a toy railway, in combination, a nonautomatic sheet metal coupler having a slot to receive the male element of a coupler, and an adapter mounted on said sheet metal non-automatic coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material 'with a projecting tenon passing through the aforesaid slot of the non-automatic coupler, and means on said tenon to hold the adapter on the non-automatic coupler, the block being shaped to form a hook dimensioned to cooperate with an automatic coupler having a hook.

6. In a toy railway, in combination, a nonautomatic sheet metal couplercomprising a coupler bar having a transverse slot to receive the male element of a coupler, and an adapter mounted on said sheet metal non-automatic coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material with a downwardly projecting tenon passing through the aforesaid slot of the non-automatic coupler, and ,aretainer on said tenon to hold the adapter on the non-automatic coupler, the block being shaped to form a hook dimensioned to cooperate with an automatic coupler having a movable hook.

7. In a toy railway, in combination, a nonautomatic sheet metal coupler comprising a generally horizontal coupler bar having its endmost portion bent downwardly to form the male element of the coupler and having a transverse slot through the horizontal coupler part near the male element dimensioned to receive the male element of a like coupler, and an adapter mounted on said sheet metal non-automatic coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material with a downwardly projecting tenon passing through the aforesaid slot of the non-automatic coupler, and retainer means to hold the adapter on the non-automatic coupler, the projecting portion of the block be ing shaped to form a hook lying in a horizontal plane and dimensioned to cooperate with an au- 7 tomatic coupler also having a hook movable in a horizontal plane.

8. In a toy railway, in combination, a nonautomatic sheet metal coupler comprising a generally horizontal coupler bar having its endmost portion bent downwardly to form the male element of the coupler and having a transverse slot through the horizontal coupler part near the male element dimensioned to receive the male element of a like coupler, and an adapter mounted on said sheet metal non-automatic coupler for use with an automatic coupler, said adapter comprising a block of material with a downwardly projecting tenon passing through the aforesaid slot of the non-automatic coupler, and a spring friction sheet metal nut slid upwardly on said tenon to hold the adapter on the non-automatic coupler, the projecting portion of the block being shaped to form a hook lying in a horizontal plane and dimensioned to automatic couplers each of said adapter com-- prising a block of material having a flat tenon passing through the slot in a non-automatic coupler, and a retainer means on the tenon to hold 'the adapter on the sheet metal coupler, said block being shaped to provide a hook dimensioned to mate with the automatic couplers.

10. In a toy railway system, one or more vehicles having automatic couplers with block-like ends carrying hooks pivoted for movement, one or more vehicles having non-automatic sheet metal couplers, each of said couplers having a slot'to receive the male part of a coupler, and one or more adapters mounted on one or more of the non-automatic couplers to make possible coupling between the vehicles having automatic couplers and the vehicles having non-automatic couplers, each of said adapters comprising a block of material having a depending fiat tenon passing through the slot in a non-automatic coupler, and a spring friction sheet'metal nut slid over the tenon to hold the adapter on the sheet metal coupler, said block being shaped to provide a hook dimensioned to mate with the auto,- matic couplers. j

11. In a toy railway system, one or more vehicles having automatic couplers with block-like ends carrying hooks pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane, one or more vehicles having non-automatic sheet metal couplers, each of said couplers having its end bentdownward to form a fiat tenon-like male part and having a transverse slot in the horizontal coupler bar near the male part to receive the male part of a like coupler, and one or more adapters mounted on one or more of the non-automatic couplers to make possible coupling between the vehicles, having automatic couplers and the vehicles having nonautomatic couplers, each of said adapters comprising ,a blockof material having a depending flat tenon passing through the slot in a nonautomatic coupler and retainer means to hold the adapter on the sheet metal coupler, said block being shaped to provide a hook disposed horizontally and dimensioned to mate with the automatic couplers.

12. In a toy railway system, one or more vehicles having automatic couplers with block-like ends carrying hooks pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane, one or more vehicles having non-automatic sheet metal couplers, each of said couplers having its end bent downward to form a flat tenon-like male part and having a transverse slot in the horizontal coupler bar, near the male part to receive the male'part of a like coupler, and one or more adapters mounted on one or more of the non-automatic couplers to. make possible coupling between the vehicles having automatic couplers and the vehicles having nonautomatic couplers, each of said adapters comprising a block of material having a depending flat tenon passing through the slot in a non-automatic coupler, and a spring friction sheet metal nut slid over the tenon to hold the adapter on the sheet metal coupler, said block being shaped to provide a hook disposed horizontally and dimensioned to mate with the automatic couplers.

WILLIS E. REXFORD. DUANE WEIDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the- Name Date Richards May 8, 1934 Number 

